As the name indicates, Glacier Bay National Park is
renowned for its stunning glaciers. Set like a diamond
in southeastern Alaska, the park is home to over 1,000
glaciers, each contributing to the area's breathtaking
scenery and ecological diversity. Glacier Bay's icy giants
still command attention despite the global trend of glacier
retreat.
Though the park is not immune to the changing climate,
and the glaciers have receded significantly over the past
century, Glacier Bay continues to be a prime location for
experiencing the grandeur of glaciers.
Glacier Bay Basin in southeastern Alaska, in the United
States, encompasses the Glacier Bay and surrounding
mountains and glaciers, which was first proclaimed a
U.S. National Monument on February 25, 1925, and which
was later, on December 2, 1980, enlarged and designated
as the Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve under the
Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, covering
an area of 3,283,000 acres (1,329,000 hectares).
In 1986, UNESCO declared an area of 57,000 acres
(23,000 hectares) within a World Biosphere Reserve.
This is the largest UNESCO protected biosphere in the
world. In 1992, UNESCO included this area as a part of
a World Heritage site, extending over an area of
24,300,000-acre (98,000 km2) which also included the
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Kluane National Park
(Canada) and Tatshenshini-Alsek Park (Canada).
Part of the National Park is also designated a Wilderness
area covering 2,658,000 acres (1,076,000 hectares).
